Pistachio is the latest audio drama from LemonSoap Productions, written by and co-starring emerging Donegal talent Ultan Pringle.
It follows a series of phone conversations between an estranged American grandmother (played by Hollywood star Piper Laurie) and her Irish grandson (played by Pringle).
Below, Ultan revisits the genesis of Pistachio, and his audience with the star of Carrie and Twin Peaks.
What's it like to work with a Hollywood legend? For one day only? On Zoom? In a lockdown? Terrifying.
What’s it like to work with a Hollywood legend who gave one of the most definitive horror performances ever? Terrifying!
What’s it like to work with a Hollywood legend who can tell you her first boyfriend was Ronald Reagan, what it’s like to meet Bette Davis or have a drink with Rita Hayworth? Terr – well, you get the picture.
In 2021, I’d the great good luck to work with the incomparable Piper Laurie, an icon of stage and screen. The Emmy Award winning, three-time Oscar nominee star of The Hustler, Carrie, Children of a Lesser God, Twin Peaks and my personal fave, Return To Oz. Yes, I was a gay kid. Yes, I was terrified by the strangely psychedelic 1985 Wizard of Oz sequel. Yes, I told Piper that.
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Listen to Pistachio by Ultan Pringle
I approached Piper with the idea of working on a radio play together. I had had an idea about pandemics and grandparents and distance and grief and seeing as I have no shame I felt no pause in asking a legend to work with me on it. Of course, she turned down the first script. Sent me an email saying make it better and I’ll do it. I made it better and she said cool and we set a date and then I found myself wanting to puke about to log onto Zoom.]
What's it like to work with a Hollywood legend who gave one of the most definitive horror performances ever? Terrifying!
And she was everything I’d hoped for. Her voice, so deep and mellifluous, befitting a star of the old Hollywood studio system, and that face, and this incredible laugh. How when she smiled her voice lit up too, I’m still smiling thinking of it, how every part of her vibrated with power.
And of course she was terrifying, so assured, so happy to sit in silence. Like when I mentioned how I find it disgusting that people don’t write parts befitting veteran actors like her. And how she stared down the camera then, that silence lasting forever - I’m actually still living it - and drawled: "Well Judi Dench works doesn’t she?" And I, desperately about to wet myself, haunted at being scolded by Carrie’s mother, blurted out "Okcoolwillwedothatsceneagain?".
Pistachio is a play about grief and an Irish grandson and an American grandmother as they haltingly try and reconnect. Piper, well, she’s magnificent in it. So effortless, so real and moving, her voice ancient and old Hollywood and dripping with power. I felt my own performance never could compare. So I was a coward and thought I’d never release the radio play. Though always it sat at the back of my mind: but she, Piper, she’s magnificent, people should hear it.
And then in October 2023, Piper, at 91 years old, passed away. We’d spoken a few months before. She made me promise if I’m ever in LA I should come and visit. I won’t ever visit, but I can conquer my own stupidity. And say here’s Pistachio and here’s The Piper Laurie in majestic imperious brilliantly real form and here’s a gorgeous soundtrack by HK Ní Shioradáin and I hope it makes you smile and think of how brilliant grandparents are.
And I hope too it makes you think: Piper Laurie, what a f*cking legend.
Pistachio is available now, on all streaming platforms - find out more here.
